1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to brazing material and, more particularly, to a low silver, low nickel brazing materials.
2. Related Art
As is known to those skilled in the art, brazing is a joining process whereby a filler metal is heated to a melting temperature which is lower than the melting temperature of the base metal and distributed between two or more close-fitting parts. The molten filler metal interacts with the base metal and then cools to form a strong, sealed joint. A wide variety of filler metals and alloys may be used. In some cases, flux, in addition to the filler metal, is used.
Brazing with silver-based filler metals has commonly been used as an alternative to bronze brazing because silver brazing does not suffer from the disadvantages that prior forms of bronze brazing have, such as, for example, the left-behind residue and oxide layer formation on the base metal which is heavy, aesthetically displeasing, and difficult to remove. Brazing with silver-based filler metal, however, is disadvantageous in that the silver alloys are costly.
Thus, there is a desire for a brazing material that provides the benefits of silver-based fillers but that generally avoids the costs typically associated with such silver based fillers.